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Want to install Linux so that I can boot to my old windows and another Linux.

phuclv
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Ashe Danni
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2 Answers2

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I think you misunderstand drive partitioning? just because one partition is fat32, does not mean that another has to be as well. you can shrink the partition of the fat32 to make room (if room is not available?) then use the free space to make an ext partition during linux install, and use the bootloader to choose which os you wish to boot into at startup.

Nalaurien
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I guess no Linux installer will allow you to install on FAT32 filesystem. Even if it would or if you migrated the files from elsewhere and managed to boot, many tools would break, misbehave or complain because they rely on files and directories having proper ownership and permissions set.

FAT32 does not support these features in a Linux way; nor at all.

According to LưuVĩnhPhúc's comment (below):

There are [Linux distributions] (often live USB/CD ones) that allow you to install onto FAT32, but they mostly copy the ISO or disk image into the FAT32 partition and boot from that.

I believe it's true but note that in this case there's underlying non-FAT32 filesystem in the disk image itself. It would be unnecessary complication for you. Nalaurien's answer is right. You should have at least two partitions and choose their filesystems independently. Having Linux on a non-FAT32 filesystem won't affect your Windows.

Kamil Maciorowski
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